The hidden portrait
by Errol's Feather
Summary: Emma is going to babysit Henry for a weekend and is therefor given instructions by Regina. When looking for board games up in the attic Emma come across a special painting of Regina.


**_Author's Note: _**This idea came to me when I was watching beauty and the geek with my friend Bene. For some reason or another I couldn't stop picturing Regina naked on a horse and so the story became.

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time and I don't make any money from it. **_

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**_The hidden portrait _**

"So you know where everything is and when he should go to bed?" Regina asked Emma, looking at the younger woman with questioning eyes.

"Relax, Regina I got it," said Emma, rolling her blue eyes lightly at the other woman. At least she got it halfway as the Mayor wasn't short on messages concerning her son and her house.

"Okay, I better not come back to a war zone or any broken objects," she said in a warning tone.

"You won't," said Emma calmly.

"Good, well I'm off, see you Sunday, sweetheart," she said to Henry and gave him a gentle hug. He returned it and with that she was out of the door.

"So what do you want to do kid?" Emma asked him with a smile.

"We can do anything?" he asked, looking at her with excited eyes.

"Anything as long as it doesn't include making a mess," said Emma, adding, "I don't feel like cleaning up."

"Sure, maybe we could play some board games or cards or something, I haven't in a while, think they are up in the attic," he said and smiled at her. Truth to be told after the whole breaking he curse, him living with Charming, Emma and Mary Margaret going to Fairytale land and back, he hadn't really spent much time in the house where he grew up. Some board games of course were in the living room, but there was a greater selection in the attic. He knew his mother wouldn't mind him going up there if Emma came with him, truth to be told Regina didn't like him going up those stairs alone. She herself never went up unless she really had to, like getting Christmas decorations or something like it.

"Okay, lead the way," said Emma and he ran upstairs showing her where the hatch to get the door to the attic down was. She took it down and climbed up after him. Once up there she was surprised over how big it was and how much was up there.

* * *

Henry and Emma went in two different directions, Henry to the left and Emma to the right. Of course she didn't mean to pry, but while looking for the board games she couldn't help but take a closer look at what was here. Old vinyl's, music cassettes, an old record player, of course books and some old clothes. The stuff you would usually find in an attic. Then something caught her eye, a frame leaning against the back wall behind some large boxes. It looked old, really old. Emma walked over and slowly got it out seeing the front of a horse, a brown one. She smiled and as she wanted to see the full horse and maybe the rider she pulled it out fully.

Seeing it fully she couldn't help but to gasp, because the woman on the horse could be no other than Regina. Younger of course, but still it was her, painted down to the last detail, sitting there on the horse smiling, not wearing a tread on her body.

Emma swallowed hard by the sight of this, she was so much more beautiful than she had ever seen her, and there was something sexy about her as well. Looking at it she couldn't help, but to feel a slight desire for the woman in the picture. A woman she never really liked all that much, but now…

Being so engulfed in the paining, much more so than in any other she had ever seen before, she was being brought back to reality when she heard Henry yell for her. She out the painting away and yelled back at him where she was and that she hadn't found the board games. He yelled back that he found some not all, so she headed over to help him carry them downstairs.

* * *

It was Sunday and Regina was driving home from the conference she had been to. It had been rather dull, in fact she wished she hadn't gone at all, not learning anything really useful at all. Now she was just looking forward to coming home and seeing Henry. A smile graced her red lips by the thought of it.

She hadn't heard from him since she left and so she assumed he and Emma was making a mess of the place. Turning on the radio she hummed along the last half hour on her way home. Once she had parked the car she went inside only to find the house quiet and not noisy as she expected. Walking into the living room she found Emma watching TV but she didn't see Henry anywhere.

"Where is Henry?" Regina wondered with a frown that the place was as clean as when she left it.

"Upstairs working on the book rapport he had due Tuesday," Emma answered.

"You got him to do that in the weekend?" said Regina surprised, knowing her son never did homework in the weekend unless she really nagged.

"Punishment for not cleaning up after himself after breakfast, although making breakfast for me was a nice gesture. How was your conference?" asked Emma, looking at the other woman.

"That makes more sense. It was rather boring, I did shop a little before the lecture Saturday, and the meals were okay I guess, had better hotel beds before also. How did it go here?" said Regina.

"Indeed it does. I'm sorry to hear that, but glad you got the opportunity to shop, as that must be hard being a mother, an evil queen and a Mayor. It went fine, we were up in the attic yesterday finding some board games, where I came across something I never thought I would find. Other than that we played board games, watch some movies, ate pizza, popcorn, I give it you can guess the rest," said Emma and smiled at her.

"As am I, and all of the above shopping is not a high on my priority list I must admit. I can in deed imagine the rest of what you have been doing, I'm actually surprised it isn't more messy here. And what did you find in the attic that was so very interesting, my old records?" Regina asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"I did find those yes, you got a fine collection, but that was not what I was referring to," said Emma with a small laugh.

"Perhaps my old clothes then?" Regina challenged her. She knew exactly what was in her attic, she could only hope that Emma hadn't come across what she feared she had.

"I saw them, but what caught my eyes was hidden behind some boxes, a rather remarkable portrait of a woman on a horse. I assume her to be you," said Emma, quirking a brow back at Regina, curious as to what her reaction would be.

"It was me yes, in my younger years, it was painted by my first love, Daniel, and he was our stable boy. So what did you think about it?" Regina challenged Emma, her face showed now signs of embarrassment if she at all felt it.

"Your first love, that would explain that painting, it was the most amazing thing I ever saw, I can't seem to get it out of my mind," said Emma.

Regina quirked again before she said, "Oh my, then there is something else you should know."

"Which is, are there more paintings like that?" Emma asked her before she could even stop herself.

"No it is only that one, as our relationship ended. The thing you should know is that in the time I have lived I have only loved three persons," said Regina, her is showed a small flicker of insecurity and not for long.

"I take it that Daniel is the first, and Henry would be the second, was Graham the third?" Emma wanted to know, knowing about their fling.

Regina laughed, "No, he was not."

"Who then?" Emma wanted to know, wondering where she was going with this.

"The third person I have loved and still do love is in fact you," said Regina, daring to smile at her. A genuine smile for a change.

Emma felt her jaw drop and found herself looking at Regina with widening eyes, was she kidding with her or telling the truth. Here she had hoped to freak her out, but now it seemed to be the other way around.

"Oh yes, Miss Swan, I had my eye on you for quite some time now. Don't you think I would have hid the picture better if I didn't want you to see it? I knew you someday would have to go up there to find something or other," Regina continued.

"You…love me, then why have you been acting like a bitch ever since I got here?" said Emma, looking at her.

"Need I to remind you you were a treat when it comes to the dearest I have?" Regina snapped.

"I wouldn't have taken him from you, you are his mother. How long have you known?" Emma wanted to know.

"Since the whole ordeal with Graham, you hurt me because you went for him and because I couldn't have you," said Regina with a heavy sigh.

"You sure have a weird way of telling people you love them," said Emma and shook her head.

"I got burned, it took me a lot of time to learn to love right, that is why Henry isn't living here most of the time," she said with a heavy sigh.

"You've gotten better, but it would help if you didn't have a go at us all the time," said Emma and smiled at her.

"I only do that when feeling threatened," said Regina honestly.

"Understandable, so is the picture accurate?" asked Emma, looking at her, surely she had to have changed since it was painted.

"Are you asking me to strip, Miss. Swan?" Regina asked her.

"I am, Henry won't be down here anytime soon," said Emma, wiggling her brows at Regina.

Regina sighed, in any other situation the answer would be a clear no, but now…Slowly she removed her black jacket and put it on a chair, then her white blouse, the shoes were next, then her socks and underwear, until she stood there completely naked. Emma looked at her gasping, the portrait was accurate for sure.

"So?" Regina asked her, still seeming non affected by the situation.

"It's accurate, God your body is amazing," said Emma and smiled at her.

"Of course, I work out a lot, may I get dressed now?" Regina wondered.

Emma nodded and the Mayor did so as she asked, "What kind of work outs do you do?"

"I thought the picture pretty much spoke for itself, I ride, and come to think of it I'm looking for a new mere, you should do just fine. I'll leave the door open tonight for you, be here are around ten, he should be asleep then," said Regina.

"I will be here," said Emma, walking towards the door, as Regina said, "Thank you for your services, Miss. Swan and don't be late."

"I wouldn't dream of it, enjoy your evening until then and say goodbye to Henry from me," said Emma and slipped out the door. Regina just smiled at herself knowing she in most cases would get what she wanted. Slowly she made the way up the stairs to check on Henry.

* * *

That night Emma would learn that Regina was a very good rider indeed, then again she had had years of practice. As for the painting, it would decorate the wall in Emma's room, Regina would give it to her for Christmas the very same year, three months after Emma first saw it.

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Thank you for reading, feedback is always appreciated :o)


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